As the chair of the Task Force that brought forth this report 
with this recommendation, we were tasked with coming forward with a location of the new LVEC, what uses it should have, and part of that was how we were going to pay for it - 35 million dollars which was the best estimate which we had of the building of this calibre. There's a lot of money on the tax base that is urgently looking to repair old infrastructures that's
been neglected over the years, it's had a poor record on the environment, and to do all those things that a city wants and aspires to. Obviously the solution we had is creating quite a lot of emotion.
Let me first say I do appreciate the comments that have been mentioned or said today about green space and the need to keep open green spaces. I think that is very important. I also hear some of the comments about the Memorial Centre site being a living memorial. I took some people around city hall today. They were from the States - they were visitors, tourists - never been here before - and they stood in Memorial Hall in awe, a beautiful hall, also raised, the windows in there raised from
public funds, and they could see the investment the city has made in the memory of its fallen. I honestly don't feel that the living memorial that you say about the Memorial Centre site has the same kind of significance that Memorial Hall does.
[Boos from the crowd. The Mayor's gavel sounds.]
It is so easy to boo, and very difficult to listen.
So I, in saying that, I think Council will listen, Council will make its decisions, but personally I do not want my hands tied going forward looking at how we are going to do all the things that Kingston residents want done in this city. And we'll make the best decisions; they may not always be the decision that everybody wants, but in this case I certainly do not want my hands tied. I will vote for referral because I think this needs to be looked at by the, by the committee that has been
struck to look at the multiplex. But I certainly will not vote for the motion that's before us.
(Transcribed from a recording of the COGECO broadcast)